NEW DELHI: Out of jail after two years, senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain said on Friday evening that he was arrested so that the AAP government’s welfare projects, such as Mohalla Clinics and Yamuna river cleaning, could be brought to a grinding halt.
In his first reactions after coming out on bail, the former Delhi government minister also alleged that he and AAP leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were arrested to dissuade common people from joining politics in the country.
Charging that his arrest was part of an attempt to defame Kejriwal, who is working hard to ensure the government works for the common man, Jain told a crowd of AAP leaders and workers outside the Tihar jail after his release that “we will continue our fight against injustice and work for the common man.”
The AAP leader, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case in March 2022, was greeted by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, party leader Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and several MLAs and leaders.
Jain hugged Sisodia and Singh as he stepped out of the Tihar Jail and waved to the waiting gathering of supporters. Jain’s family, who had been eagerly waiting for his release, rejoiced his release.
“It’s like Diwali has come early for us,” his daughter said, reflecting the relief and happiness at the end of her father’s legal battle, at least for now.
Jain’s release is expected to serve as a shot in the arm to the party, which is gearing up for the upcoming assembly election in Delhi. He was the sole remaining AAP leader who was lodged in jail. “I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Satyender is not a politician, he is a social worker, and he will continue to contribute to society,” Jain’s wife said.